ANSA MOTORSPORTS AND LORENZO TREFETHEN FINISH 5TH IN ROUNDS 1 & 2 AT COTA
ANSA Motorsports and Lorenzo Trefethen started their 2015 Pirelli World Challenge season together on a high note, scoring a top-five GT-Cup class finish in both races at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
Following a very cold promoter test day on Thursday, Lorenzo Trefethen and ANSA Motorsports, made their first professional racing appearance on Friday in the Pirelli World Challenge. The No. 13 ANSA Motorsports /Trefethen Family Vineyards Porsche 911 GT3 Cup arrived only a week before the event from Porsche Motorsports in Germany but the dedicated ANSA Motorsports crew did a very good job and was able to prepare it on time for this first important season rendez-vous at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
On Wednesday night, Lorenzo Trefethen of Trefethen Family Vineyards and Gusto Italian Kitchen and wine bar managing partner, Cameron Lockley, organized a wine dinner at Gusto restaurant in Austin for their Trefethen Family Vineyards wine club members. Chef Jason Tallent, and Sommelier, Chris Dufau, prepared a succulent four-course dinner paired with some of the best Trefethen wines. This event was an unqualified success and a great launch for the weekend activities.
Thursday afternoon it was time to unveil the exciting No. 13 ANSA Motorsports Trefethen Family Vineyards art car, which was designed by French artist, Erwin Dazelle. The unveiling was well attended and ANSA Motorsports team owner, Alain Nadal, Lorenzo Trefethen and artist Erwin Dazelle uncovered the race car before the guests including Pirelli World Challenge officials, CBS Sports commentators and other Porsche Motorsports officials.
By Friday morning the weather changed dramatically and freezing temperatures welcomed Pirelli World Challenge competitors to the track. Lorenzo Trefethen and his coach, Hugh Plumb, used the two scheduled sessions to improve lap times around the F1 track. At the end of the day, the No. 13 Porsche was ranked in the top five among the ten GT-Cup entered in the event. Saturday morning, Lorenzo showed his determination to increase his speed and position by qualifying 4th right behind some very experienced racers.
The start of race 1 of the 2015 Pirelli World Challenge season was Saturday afternoon. For his dramatic first standing start ever in competition, Trefethen stalled the car and started last in the 45-minute race. Within the first third of the race, thanks to a competitive car and a great piece of driving, he passed five competitors. He moved into 4th place for a while, then finished 5th. It was a great performance for his first Pirelli World Challenge debut.
On Sunday, the weather over Texas changed again, and the rain invited itself to race 2. Due to a very wet and difficult track conditions, race 2 start was a rolling start instead of a standing start. Trefethen started 5th. At mid-race while racing in 5th place, Trefethen spun out and fell to 10th place. With great determination and will to finish high, Trefethen passed car after car despite the horrible track conditions and he pulled out a 5th place finish at the end.
Two top-five finishes in two races is a great debut for ANSA Motorsports and Lorenzo Trefethen. After the first two rounds ANSA Motorsports and Lorenzo Trefethen are ranked 5th in the 2015 Pirelli World Challenge GT-Cup class and are ready to head to the next event.
Rounds 3 and 4 of the Pirelli World Challenge will take place March 27-29 in Florida at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in conjunction with the Verizon IndyCar Series.
Watch ANSA Motorsports and Lorenzo Trefethen in action at the Nissan Grand Prix of Texas on CBS Sports TV, Saturday, March 14, at 11 a.m. ET.
Following a very cold promoter test day on Thursday, Lorenzo Trefethen and ANSA Motorsports, made their first professional racing appearance on Friday in the Pirelli World Challenge. The No. 13 ANSA Motorsports /Trefethen Family Vineyards Porsche 911 GT3 Cup arrived only a week before the event from Porsche Motorsports in Germany but the dedicated ANSA Motorsports crew did a very good job and was able to prepare it on time for this first important season rendez-vous at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
On Wednesday night, Lorenzo Trefethen of Trefethen Family Vineyards and Gusto Italian Kitchen and wine bar managing partner, Cameron Lockley, organized a wine dinner at Gusto restaurant in Austin for their Trefethen Family Vineyards wine club members. Chef Jason Tallent, and Sommelier, Chris Dufau, prepared a succulent four-course dinner paired with some of the best Trefethen wines. This event was an unqualified success and a great launch for the weekend activities.
Thursday afternoon it was time to unveil the exciting No. 13 ANSA Motorsports Trefethen Family Vineyards art car, which was designed by French artist, Erwin Dazelle. The unveiling was well attended and ANSA Motorsports team owner, Alain Nadal, Lorenzo Trefethen and artist Erwin Dazelle uncovered the race car before the guests including Pirelli World Challenge officials, CBS Sports commentators and other Porsche Motorsports officials.
By Friday morning the weather changed dramatically and freezing temperatures welcomed Pirelli World Challenge competitors to the track. Lorenzo Trefethen and his coach, Hugh Plumb, used the two scheduled sessions to improve lap times around the F1 track. At the end of the day, the No. 13 Porsche was ranked in the top five among the ten GT-Cup entered in the event. Saturday morning, Lorenzo showed his determination to increase his speed and position by qualifying 4th right behind some very experienced racers.
The start of race 1 of the 2015 Pirelli World Challenge season was Saturday afternoon. For his dramatic first standing start ever in competition, Trefethen stalled the car and started last in the 45-minute race. Within the first third of the race, thanks to a competitive car and a great piece of driving, he passed five competitors. He moved into 4th place for a while, then finished 5th. It was a great performance for his first Pirelli World Challenge debut.
On Sunday, the weather over Texas changed again, and the rain invited itself to race 2. Due to a very wet and difficult track conditions, race 2 start was a rolling start instead of a standing start. Trefethen started 5th. At mid-race while racing in 5th place, Trefethen spun out and fell to 10th place. With great determination and will to finish high, Trefethen passed car after car despite the horrible track conditions and he pulled out a 5th place finish at the end.
Two top-five finishes in two races is a great debut for ANSA Motorsports and Lorenzo Trefethen. After the first two rounds ANSA Motorsports and Lorenzo Trefethen are ranked 5th in the 2015 Pirelli World Challenge GT-Cup class and are ready to head to the next event.
Rounds 3 and 4 of the Pirelli World Challenge will take place March 27-29 in Florida at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in conjunction with the Verizon IndyCar Series.
Watch ANSA Motorsports and Lorenzo Trefethen in action at the Nissan Grand Prix of Texas on CBS Sports TV, Saturday, March 14, at 11 a.m. ET.